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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. drill — the tool
  3. net — after costs
  4. stand — to bear
  5. fall — the season
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. net — in sport
  9. fall — to drop
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. charge — electricity
  12. board — to get on
  13. drill — a practice
  14. fall — to drop
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. board — a committee
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — in control
  24. net — for catching

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com